Nitrogen heterocycles are among the most significant structural components of pharmaceuticals. Analysis of our database of U.S. FDA approved drugs reveals that 59% of unique small-molecule drugs contain a nitrogen heterocycle. In this review we report on the top 25 most commonly utilized nitrogen heterocycles found in pharmaceuticals. The main part of our analysis is divided into seven sections: (1) three- and four-membered heterocycles, (2) five-, (3) six-, and (4) seven- and eight-membered heterocycles, as well as (5) fused, (6) bridged bicyclic, and (7) macrocyclic nitrogen heterocycles. Each section reveals the top nitrogen heterocyclic structures and their relative impact for that ring type. For the most commonly used nitrogen heterocycles, we report detailed substitution patterns, highlight common architectural cores, and discuss unusual or rare structures.

Polymerization of monomers into periodic two-dimensional networks provides structurally precise, layered macromolecular sheets that exhibit desirable mechanical, optoelectronic, and molecular transport properties. Two-dimensional covalent organic frameworks (2D COFs) offer broad monomer scope but are generally isolated as powders comprising aggregated nanometer-scale crystallites. We found that 2D COF formation could be controlled using a two-step procedure in which monomers are added slowly to preformed nanoparticle seeds. The resulting 2D COFs are isolated as single-crystalline, micrometer-sized particles. Transient absorption spectroscopy of the dispersed COF nanoparticles revealed improvement in signal quality by two to three orders of magnitude relative to polycrystalline powder samples, and suggests exciton diffusion over longer length scales than those obtained through previous approaches. These findings should enable a broad exploration of synthetic 2D polymer structures and properties.

Among carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen, sulfur and fluorine are both leading constituents of the pharmaceuticals that comprise our medicinal history. In efforts to stimulate the minds of both the general public and expert scientist, statistics were collected from the trends associated with therapeutics spanning 12 disease categories (a total of 1969 drugs) from our new graphical montage compilation: disease focused pharmaceuticals posters. Each poster is a vibrant display of a collection of pharmaceuticals (including structural image, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval date, international nonproprietary name (INN), initial market name, and a color-coded subclass of function) organized chronologically and classified according to an association with a particular clinical indication. Specifically, the evolution and structural diversity of sulfur and the popular integration of fluorine into drugs introduced over the past 50 years are evaluated. The presented qualitative conclusions in this article aim to promote innovative insights into drug development.

Redox-active covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are promising materials for energy storage devices because of their high density of redox sites, permanent and controlled porosity, high surface areas, and tunable structures. However, the low electrochemical accessibility of their redox-active sites has limited COFbased devices either to thin films (<250 nm) grown on conductive substrates or to thicker films (1 μm) when a conductive polymer is introduced into the COF pores. Electrical energy storage devices constructed from bulk microcrystalline COF powders, eliminating the need for both thin-film formation and conductive polymer guests, would offer both improved capacity and potentially scalable fabrication processes. Here we report on the synthesis and electrochemical evaluation of a new phenazine-based 2D COF (DAPH-TFP COF), as well as its composite with poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT). Both the COF and its PEDOT composite were evaluated as powders that were solution-cast onto bulk electrodes serving as current collectors. The unmodified DAPH-TFP COF exhibited excellent electrical access to its redox sites, even without PEDOT functionalization, and outperformed the PEDOT composite of our previously reported anthraquinone-based system. Devices containing DAPH-TFP COF were able to deliver both high-energy and high-power densities, validating the promise of unmodified redox-active COFs that are easily incorporated into electrical energy storage devices.

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are crystalline, permanently porous, two-dimensional or three-dimensional polymers with tunable topology and functionality. COFs linked with imines or β-ketoenamines are more chemically stable than their boron-linked counterparts, making them more promising for a broad range of applications, including energy storage devices, proton-conductive membranes, and catalyst supports. We report a general and scalable method for synthesizing imine- and β-ketoenamine-linked COFs based on the formal transimination of N-aryl benzophenone imines. These substrates are often the synthetic precursors of traditional polyfunctional aryl amine monomers and are more stable, soluble, and easy to handle and purify. The imine- and β-ketoenamine-linked COFs obtained from this approach show excellent materials quality, as characterized by X-ray diffraction and surface area analysis. The most optimized COF exhibited a Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area (>2600 m/g) very close to its theoretical value (2830 m/g). This method is amenable to both conventional solvothermal conditions and microwave heating, providing similar or even improved materials quality with shorter reaction times. The high materials quality, scalability, and availability of benzophenone imine monomers are all attractive features of this approach.